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Help! Weak Beetroot seedlings (photo's attactched)

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  • #1

    Help! Weak Beetroot seedlings (photo's attactched)

    Hello, my name is Harry!

    This is my first post and my first time growing vegetables - I'm living in a student house in the centre of Liverpool and I've decided to grow some veg in containers in the back yard.

    All was going well until I noticed that my one month old beetroot and swede plants have started to flop over and look a bit sick. The swede is suffering the most, in fact the leaves are beginning to brown, but I'm far more interested in saving the beetroot if I can.

    I have heard about something called damping off disease - could this be the problem?

    This is a photo of the beetroot (they're about 3 inches long). The soil is kept moist and they get about 5-6 hours of direct sunlight a day.

    Last edited by hnesb; 19-08-2009, 12:27 PM.
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  • #2
    maybe the soil is a little too moist it looks as if it's very compacted and crusted over. Let them dry out a little perhaps and see what happens.

    loosen the soil up a little between the plants to stop a mossy appearance setting in

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    • #3
      Thanks SMS6 - it last rained on sunday, so they were without water for about 3 days. I gave them a light water yesterday (the soil was beginning to dry out) and noticed they were looking much more sick this morning. I will loosen up the soil a bit and give them a few more days. I really hope they don't die!

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      • #4
        I hadn't realised how compacted the soil had become - it's sunk about 3 inches since I filled the containers. I used a fork to gently loosen the soil around all the plants and used it to provide some support around their bases. They're all pointing upwards now, so hopefully they'll have a chance to thicken out and support themselves.

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        • #5
          Fingers crossed for you. Don't expect beetroot in the near future though, I find it a very long crop to wait for.

          Or it could be just me

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          • #6
            Welcome Harry!!

            You do have drainage holes in the bottom of that container don't you?
            The proof of the growing is in the eating.
            Leave Rotten Fruit.
            Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potasium - potash.
            Autant de têtes, autant d'avis!!!!!
            Il n'est si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle.

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            • #7
              SMS6 - Ah yes, but the satisfaction of having homegrown beetroot soup will surely be worth the wait!

              teakdesk - Yes I do, it's an old chest of drawers with about twelve 1" holes for drainage - I've checked after heavy rain and there is definitely no water-logging.

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